Sarah Schmelzel
Personal information
Full nameSarah Hawley Schmelzel
Born (1994-05-12) May 12, 1994
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Sporting nationality United States
Career
CollegeUniversity of South Carolina
Turned professional2016
Current tour(s)LPGA Tour (joined 2019)
Former tour(s)Symetra Tour (joined 2017)
Best results in LPGA major championships
Chevron ChampionshipT25: 2021
Women's PGA C'shipT14: 2019
U.S. Women's OpenT23: 2020
Women's British OpenT48: 2022
Evian ChampionshipT28: 2023

Sarah Hawley Schmelzel (born May 12, 1994) is an American professional golfer and LPGA Tour member.[1]

Early life, college and amateur career

Schmelzel grew up in Phoenix, Arizona.[1] Although she started playing golf when she was five, Schmelzel first competed in gymnastics. She was a talented at uneven bars and was an Arizona State Champion in the discipline. In 2001, she watched Annika Sörenstam card a 59 at her home course of Moon Valley, which sparked a passion for the game.[2][3]

Schmelzel was highly ranked in both the National Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings and the Golfweek junior rankings. She was a standout at Xavier Prep and won the 2011 Arizona State High School Championship. Schmelzel led her school to its third team state title in four years, and carded rounds of 71-66 at the state championship to tie the Arizona state high school record with Amanda Blumenherst.[4] She won the AJGA Bass Pro Shops/Payne Stewart Championship by 12 strokes with rounds of 69-71-70.[5]

Schmelzel attended the University of South Carolina between 2012 and 2016 and played on the South Carolina Gamecocks women's golf team, where she captured one individual title. She was on the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team and was an honorable mention All-American as a senior.[4]

Professional career

Schmelzel turned professional after graduating and joined the 2017 Symetra Tour. In her second season, she recorded seven top-10 finishes, including four top-five results in her last five events to finish 13th on the Epson Tour money list. She finished third at the inaugural LPGA Q-Series to earn her LPGA Tour card for the 2019 season.[1]

In 2021, Schmelzel finished tied 17th at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, after her opponent Carlota Ciganda was assessed a slow-play penalty. Ciganda and Schmelzel came to the 18th hole tied, but as the slow-play penalty in match play is loss of hole, Schmelzel was awarded the hole, and won the match 1-up.[6]

In 2022, Schmelzel made six birdies in her final seven holes to jump up the leaderboard into solo third at the LPGA Drive On Championship, her career-best finish on the LPGA Tour so far.[7][8]

Amateur wins

  • 2005 Kingman City Junior Championship
  • 2006 Mesa City Junior Championship, Yuma City Junior Championship, Tucson Conquistadores Spring Classic
  • 2007 Yuma City Junior Championship, JGAA Winter Classic
  • 2008 Antigua/Milt Coggins Arizona Junior Championship, Yuma City Junior Championship, Tucson Conquistadores Spring Classic, JGAA Fall Classic
  • 2009 Yuma City Junior Championship, Thunderbird Invitational
  • 2011 Arizona State High School Championship, Pro Shops/Payne Stewart Championship
  • 2016 Bryan National Collegiate

Source:[9]

Results in LPGA majors

Tournament20192020202120222023
Chevron Championship T75 T44 T25 66
Women's PGA Championship T14 T54 CUT CUT T15
U.S. Women's Open CUT T23 CUT
The Evian Championship CUT NT CUT T65 T28
Women's British Open T51 CUT T48 CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament
T = tied

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sarah Schmelzell Bio". LPGA Tour. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Sarah Schmelzel Witnessed Annika's 59". Epson Tour. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Phoenix's Sarah Schmelzel Enjoys Homecoming At LPGA Founders Cup". AZ Central. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Women's Golf Roster". South Carolina Gamecocks. June 22, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship". American Junior Golf Association. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ Melton, Zephyr (May 26, 2021). "LPGA pro hit with devastating slow-play penalty in match-play event". Golf. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Leona Maguire Earns Maiden Tour Victory At Drive On Championship". Ladies European Tour. July 2, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Maguire makes history". Golf Australia. Associated Press. February 7, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Sarah Schmelzel". Junior Golf Association of Arizona. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
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